Conduit measuring device



11,. 1942. M. M. HENNYESSY 2 2,292,938

CONDUIT MEASURING DEVICE Filed Nov. 6, 1939 v 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 NVENTOR IM-Y'M. HENNEssY Filed Nov. e; 1939 CONDUII' MEASURING DEVICE Aug. 11, 1942; M. M; HENNESS Y I CONDUIT MEASURING DEVICE 4- Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Nov. 6, 1939 \Q mm INVENTOR ATTORNEY sarily resulted in inaccuracy.

Patented Aug. ll, 1942 NT OFFICE CONDUIT MEASURING DEVICE Mark M. Hennessy, Milwaukee, Wis, asslgnor to Durant Manufacturing (70., Milwaukee, Wis., a corporation 0! Wisconsin 1 Application November 6, 1939, Serial No. 303,085

16 Claims.

improvements in the art of measuring the length or depth of conduits and of performing some operation at a relatively inaccessible predetermined location within a conduit or bore, and

relates more specifically to improvements in the construction and operation of devices for measuring the depth of pipes and for positioning plugs, or the like at predetermined depths within such conduitso Generally defined, an object of my invention is to provide improved means for conveniently, quickly and accurately determining or finding a predetermined location within a conduit such as a pipe line or well casing, and for positioning an element such as a plug at the predetermined location. I

It 'is frequently desirable in well drilling, and

especially-in the oil well industry, to accurately" measure the lineal depth of a well, or to place an insert such as a plug at some predetermined depth within a well, or to run a survey instrument orperforating device to some definite depth.

\ ily utilized to perform the various functions required in the industry from such apparatus. In some of the prior depth predetermining measuring devices, the indicating apparatus was associated with a travelling cable outside of the well casing, and the slippage between the cable and the indicator due to operation at high speed or stretching of the cable or wire neces- In others, the successive casingsectlons were relied upon to i give the depth indication, and unless the casc1. 255-1) The present invention relates in general to Another specific object of my invention is to provide a new and useful implement which may be utilized to accurately measure the lineal depth of a well, and-which is bodily insertible in and effectively cooperable with casings oi various diameters.

A further specific object of the invention is I to provide an improved unit comprising several sections, one or more of which may be introduced within a well casing or the like forv the purpose of performing various operations, and at least one of'whlch is adapted to .be permanently 'fixed at a definite depth within the well casing while permitting removal oi the others.

Still another specific object 01 this invention is tosprovide an improved depth indicator which can be quickly adjusted to either measure any desired lineal depth, or to stop when any predetermined depth has been reached during descent of the indicator, and which can also be removed from the conduit without disturbing'the depth indication or reading.

An additional specific object of myinvention is to provide an improved plug positioning device for oil, gas and water wells, the plug portion of which remains in the well while position locating portion does not remain in the well but may be withdrawn and subsequently utilized for similar and other purposes. I

The above as well as other specific objects and advantages or my invention will be apingsections were all of exactly the same length,

the results were inaccurate.

not entirely-satisfactory in commercial use, and are not sufilciently flexible in operation to meet various requirements and conditions.

It isithereiore a more specific object of this invention to provide a simple and extremely flexible device ibreither measuring the'depth of a well casing, or for accurately determining locations or conditions at various depths, or for performing operations such as plugging or perforating at predetermined depths.

The prior depth measuring and plugging devices therefore are parent from the iollowing detailed description.

A clear conception of the several features constituting my present improvement, and of the mode of constructing and of utilizing well measuring and plugging devices built in windance with the invention, may be had by referring to the drawings accompa ying and terming a part of this specification wherein like reference characters designate the same or similar parts in the various views.

Fig. 1 is a central longitudinal cross-section through the indicating section alone of one of my improved depth measuring and plug posi tioning units; n

Fig. 2 isa similar cross-section through the indicating section of. Fig. 1, taken at right angles to the plane of Fig '1' and showing the device cooperable with well casings of several diameters, the counter. and latch mechanisms being in active'or latching position;

Fig. 3 is a fragment or a cross-section similar to that 01 Fig. 2, but showing the counter and latch mechanisms in inactive or released position;

Fig. 4 is a transverse cross-section through the indicating section of Fig. 1, taken along the line 4-4;

Fig. 5 is a somewhat enlarged transverse crosssection through the counter and latch portion of Figs. 1, 2, and 3, showing the latch and counter in active position;

Fig. 6 is a similarly enlarged transverse crosssection similar to that of Fig. 5, but showing the latch released;

I through the guiding section alone of one of my improved devices, showing the plug section attaching hooks in active position;

Fig. 12 is a fragment of a section like that of Fig. 11, but showing the attaching hooks released and the adjacent end of the plug section partly withdrawn;

Fig. 13 is a transverse gross-section through the guide section of Fig. 11', taken along'the line |3l3;

Fig. 14 is another transverse cross-section through the assemblage of Fig. 11, taken along the line "-46;

Fig. 15 is a central longitudinal cross-section through one type of plug section adapted to automatically lock itself in position, and showing the expansible locking ring contracted, and the locking cams inactive;

'Fig. 16 is a fragment of a cross-section similar to that of Fig. 15, showing the locking cams in active position;

Fig. 1'1 is another fragment of the cross-section shown in Fig. 15, but showing the locking and sealing ring in action;

Fig. 18 is a transverse cross-section through the assemblage of Fig. 15, taken along the line Fig. 19 is a central longitudinal cross-section through a fragment of a well casing, showing one of the improved measuring and plugging assemblages disposed therein;

Fig. 20 is a central longitudinal cross-section through another type of plug section having an ordinary cup-shaped rubber seal ring; and Fig. 21 is a transverse section through the modified plug of Fig. 20, taken along the line While my improvement has been shown and described herein as being especially applicable for the purpose of measuringthe lineal depth of The improved conduit length or depth measuring and plug locating device in its entirety, comprises in'general an indicating section- 25 having an eye-bolt 26 to which a suspension rope or cable 21 may be attached; a guiding section 23 detachably secured inv any convenient manner, to

the end of thesection 25 remote from the eyebolt 26; and a plugging section 23 of the type shown in Fig. 15, or a plugging se ction 36 of the type shown in Fig. 20, adapted to be detachably secured to a guide section 26 by means of automatically releasable hooks 3|. The complete assemblage and the manner in which it cooperates with a vertical conduit or well casing 32, is shown in Fig. 19, and it is to be understood that the several sections 25, 26, 23, 30 may be used for diverse purposes,'either singly or combined.

, Referring especially to Figs. 1 to 8 inclusive, the improved lineal measuring and indicating section 25 disclosed therein, comprises in general a tubular elongated casing 33 having- 8.

- closure plug 34 at one end to which the eyebolt 26 may be attached, and having screw threads 35 or other means of attachment at its opposite end cooperable with the section 26;'a counter 36 removably confined within the medial portion of v the casing 33 and having a series of numeral wheels 31 each of which has a corresponding notch 38 ina peripheral portion thereof, the counter 35 being rotatable upon a supporting shaft 39 for the wheels 31; a counter driving roller 40 journalled for rotation in the swinging ends of spaced plates ll by means of a shaft 42, and being engageable with the inner surface of a casing 32, the plates 4| being swingably suspended from a. pivot shaft 43 and having arcuate slots 44 therein; a train of gears 45, 46, 41, 48, 49, connecting the roller 40 with the unit wheel 31 of the counter 36 so as to drive the counter wheels 31 whenever the roller 40 is rotating in one direction; a bellows 5| mounted within the casing 33 and being expansible by compressed elastic fluid admitted thereto through a the movable end of the bellows 5| being attached by a pivot pin 53 tothe corresponding ends of simultaneously swingable levers 54 the medial portions of which are fulcrumed on the shaft 43 and the opposite ends whereof cooperate with the slots 44 through adjustable screws 55 and lock nuts 56; a series of pawls 51 swingably suspended within thecasing 33 by a shaft 58 and having ends 59 cooperable with the number wheel notches 38, the pawls 51 also being provided with,

hook portions 60; a release lever 6| having its swinging portion engageable by the hook portions 60 when one or more of the ends 53 are disengaged from the corresponding notches 36, the lever 6| being vswingable upon a pivot shaft 62 and having a latch retaining 'cam 63 movable thereby; a latch, 64 swingable upon a pin 65 and having an abutment 66 normally held in latching position by the cam 63; a central rod 61 slidable in a fixed partition 68 longitudinally within the casing 33 by means of another bellows 59 exwells and for inserting plugs at predetermined pansible by compressed elastic fluid admitted thereto through a filling duct 10, the rod 61 having an abutment 1| formed integral therewith or utility or the invention. It is also to be noted:

that the present disclosure is more or less diagrammatic, and that the fiuid pressure actuated bellows used for automatically tripping certain mechanisms may be replaced by helical compression springs. or the like, functioning in a;

similar manner.

and engageable with the latch 64; and an elongated member or rod 12 slidable in the fixed partition 68 and in other fixed partitions I3, 16, and having its end rigidly connected to the latch rod 61 by a cross-head 15 which is additionally guided by a pin 16. I

The indicating counter 36 in cases when the device is used merely to measure lineal length or filling duct 52,

' cally herein. In either case, the counter 36 should be provided with 'a' one-way clutch interposed between the drive'shaft 33 and the counter wheels 31, and as shown in Fig. 10, I have provided a clutch comprising a disk 11' rigidly attached'to the counter driving shaft 33 and carrying a pawl 11 which coacts with a ratchet wheel 13 rigidly attached to the unit number wheel 31 of the counter 36. With such an assemblage of elements, when the counter 36 is being driven by the roller 43 riding along the interior of the pipe 32 in one direction, the numerals on the wheels 31 will gradually approach zero position, but if the roller 43 advances in the opposite direction, the counter wheels 31 will not move and the reading will be unaffected. In order to insure positive driving of the counter 36 when the roller 63 is rotating in the direction indicated in Fig. 2, the roller 43 is constantly urged toward and in contact with the inner surface of the pipe 32 by fluid under pressure injected into the bellows 6|; and when the, device is used in conduits 32 having larger diameter as shown in dotand-dash lines in Fig. 2, the adjusting screw 66 should be positioned near the inner ends of the slots 46 and locked therein by means of the nut 66. The roller 40 is swingable about the shaft 33 through an opening in the side of the casing 33, and in order to permit access to the counter 36 for inspection, setting or removal, the

casing 33 may be providedwith another opening normally closed by a cover plate 13 held in position by a thumb screw 83, see Figs. 5, 6, 7 and 8.

' of progressively higher order beginning with the unit number wheel 31'. The successive adjacent provided with local proiections 33 which are engageable with extensions 36 on the pawls 61 when the shaft 63 is swung in a counter-clockwise direction from the position shown in Fig. 6 to that shown in Fig. 8. The end portion of the shaft 33 is provided with a bent oscillating lever 36 which is swingable outwardly of-the casing 33 from the position shown in Fig. '1 to the position automatically become effective to lift all of the pawls 61 out of the notches 33, thereby releasing the numeral wheels 31 for resetting so far as the latches 61 are concerned.

The wheels 31 are not however freely rotatable relative to each other because of the intercom necting pinions 3|, and in order to permit these pinions 3| to be disengaged from one of the adiacent wheels 31, the wheels 31 are mounted to slide on the shaft 33 and the pinions 3| are likewise mounted to slide on the shaft 32; and each pinion 3| is providedwith a collar 83 which interlocks with a groove 33 in the adjacent wheel 31 as shown in Fig. 9. A hook 33 swingably suspended from a fixed pivot 3|, as shown in Figs. 7, 8 and 9, is adapted to be swung inwardly around the shaft 33 at the end of the counter 36, in order to retain the pinions 3| in driving coaction with both of the adjacent numeral wheels 31, and the hook 33 is normally held in thisposition as shown in Fig. '1, by the cover plate 13. When the hook 33 is-released and swung outwardly as in Fig. 8, the numeral wheels 31 may be spread apart sufiicientiy to disengage the pinions 8| from the numeral wheels at the right side thereof, thereby permitting free and unobstructed rotation and resetting of the individual numeral wheels 31. The shafts 39, 63, 82, 33 and the pivot 3| are all mounted in a common removable frame 32, thereby making the counter 36 readily removable from within the casing 33.

The releasing lever 6| which is normally held inactive position as-illustrated in Figs. 2 and 5, by the counter controlled pawls 61, is freely I swingable within the casing 33 laterally of the bellows 6| as shown in Figs. 2, 3, 5 and 6, and extends through a slot 33 in the guiding partition 63. The pivot shaft 62 of the lever 6| is mounted in a bracket 34 in which the pivot wheels 31 are drivingly interconnected by means I of pinions 8| rotatably mounted on a fixed shaft 32 as shown in Fig. 9, and as previously indicated, each wheel 31 has a peripheral notch 33 with which the end 63 of an adjacent pawl 61 is enpin 66 of the latch 64 is also mounted, and when the lever 6| is being held by the pawls 61 the cam 63 willhold the latch 64 in active position as shown in Fig. 2 with the abutment 66 in engagement with the rod shoulder 1|; Howi ever, when the lever 6| is released from the pawls 61 as when the counter wheels 31 attain zero position, the bellows 63 immediately expands and becomes effective to first throw the lever 6| 'to the position shown in Fig. 3 and to thereby release the latch 64 and thereafter move the rods 61, 12 longitudinally within the casing 33. This and the hooks 60 thereof will then release the lever 6| which will in turn release the latch 66, and consequently will allow the fluidpressure actuated bellows 63 to become effective in pushing, the rod 61, cross-head 16, and the rod .12

longitudinally within the casing 33 in the direction indicated in Fig. 1. The tension springs 32' have their corresponding outer ends attached to longitudinal movement of the rod 12 is utilized in a manner which will be subsequently explained, and it will be noted that the rod 12 is made up of alined'endwise abutting sections forming a continuous rod extending throughout the length of the sections 26, 23 and partially along the plugging sections 23 or 33.

. While the indicating section 26 may be used alone, it would ordinarily be utilized in conjunction with other detachable sections 23, 23 or 36. The construction of the guiding section 23 a common oscillatory shaft 33, and this'shaft is 7, is shown in detail in Figs. 11 .to 14 inclusive, and

having an annular ledge 99; a bellows I secured to the member 98 and being expansible by fluid under pressure admitted thereto through a duct IN, the bellows I00 having a tapered end head I02 provided with acentral guiding projection I03; another tubular casing I04 coacting with the member ledge 99 and having therein a bracket I05, a partition I03 and an end head I01 all of which are pierced by sections of the rod 12; a cross-head I08 rigidly attached to the section 12 of the rod 12 and having a set of three parallel latch pins I09 penetrating and slidable within the member 98 when the rod 12 is shifted longitudinally; a set of three similar releasable hooks 3I mounted upon the bracket I by means of pivot pins H0, and each having a triangular head III at one end cooperable with the tapered head I02 of the bellows I00 and with the latch pins I09, and also having a hooked end H2 at its opposite end engageable with an abutment II3 on the member 98 to lock the casing I04 to this member 98; a set of three bell-cranks II4 mounted in the partition 91 by means of pivot pins H5 and having inwardly extending arms coacting with a block H8; guide rollers II1 carried by arms II8 each of which is adjustably secured to one of the bell-cranks II4 by means of a clamping screw II9 coacting with a slot' I20 -in the arm H8; and another bellows I2I carried by the head 96 and expansible by fluid under pressure admitted thereto through a duct I22 and having an adjustable universal end element I23 coacting with a socket I24 in the block H8.

The closure member 98 is rigidly attached to the tubular casing 95 which is detachably but firmly secured to the indicating section casing 33 by means of the screw threads 35, and the auxiliary casing I04 which is held centrally of the casing 95 by the shoulder 99, is normally firmly attached to the member 98 by the three hooks 3|, the hooked ends II2 of which coact with the ledge II3 as shown in Fig. 11. However, when the actuating rod 12 is shifted longitudinally as by the trip. mechanism associated with the'counter 36, to a position such as shown in Fig. 12, the latch pins I09 will release the trian ular end heads III of the hooks 3|, and the fluid under pressure acting upon the bellows I00 will immediately become effective to force the tapered head forwardly, thereby spreading the triangular ends III and moving the hooked ends II2 out of engagement with the shoulder II3 of the member 98. With the hooks 3| thus released, the section 28 may be withdrawn from the plugging section 29, 30, or vice versa, and in order to insure simultaneous release of all of the hooks 3I, the projection I03 of the tapered head I02 is preferably guided in a central bore in the partition I00. The guiding rollers III are swingable outwardly through slots in the casing 95, and are cooperable with pipes or conduits 32 of different internal diameters as shown in dot-and-dash lines in Fig. 11. When 'these rollers II1 cooperate with larger pipes, the screws H9 and slots I20 are utilized to lengthen the roller carrier arms, and the clamping screws II9 serve to lock these arms in various positions of adjustment. While only one set of three guide rollers III has been shown, it may bedesirable to furnish additional sets of these rollers, and this may readily be done by lengthening the casing section and by inserting therein additional sets of rollers III and actuating bellows I2I therefor. The bellows I2I will obviously urge all of the rollers III outwardly, simultaneously and with equal pressure, and by virtue of the fact that there are three equally spaced rollers H1 in each set, the casing 95 and the other casings which are alined there-' with will be accurately centered within the conduit 32.

When it is desired to locate a plug, or to perform some other operation within a conduit 32, at a definite predetermined location, one of the plugging sections 29, 30 may be attached to the guiding section 28 with the aid of the releasable hooks 3I. In the plugging section 29 shown in detail in Figs. 15 to 18 inclusive, the assemblage comprises a tubular casing I25 which is detachably but firmly attached at one end to the end of the tubular casing I04 adjacent to the end head I01 by means of screw threads I26 or otherwise, and another tubular casing I21 is likewise detachably secured ta the opposite end of the casing I25 by means of screw threads I28. The locking casing I25 is provided with internal opposite end heads I29, I30 and with an intervening bracket I3I, and the-plug casing I21 is also provided with internal opposite end heads I 32, I33 and with a medial partition I34;

and the rod 12 extends through the casings I25,

ciated with the casing I25; and each of the cams I35 is swingable outwardly through a slot in the casing I25 and has an outer cam surface I31 adapted to grip the interior of the conduit 32, and also has an inner end I38 which is normally held in. contact with an adjacent abutment I39 on the bracket I3I, by a tension spring .I40. A bellows I carried by the end head I29 is adapted to be supplied with expansible fluid under pressure through a duct I42, and the movable end of the bellows I4I carries an adjustable universal connector I43 which coacts with a socket formed in' a block I44. The block I44 is disposed within a central recess I45 in the bracket I3I, and while this block is engageable with the cam ends I38 when the bellows MI is released; such engagement is normally prevented when the counter 38 is operating, by a pin I49 slidably confined in the bracket I3I and coacting with the block I44 and with one arm of a trip lever I 41 pivotally suspended from the bracket I 3| by a pin I48. The other arm I49 of the trip lever is bifurcated and normally abuts the side of a section 12" of the trip rod 12, as in Fig. 15, and this rod section 12" has a reduced portion I50 which is movable to a position such as shown in Fig. 16 wherein the bellows I will become effective to push the block I44 and pin I45 forward, to swing the lever I41 across the reduced portion I50, and to swing the cams I 35 outwardly with their surfaces I 31 in gripping contact with the interior of the conduit 32. This shifting of the cams I35 to looking position, obviously takes place whenever the I able in a bore in the partitionm.

" aaaaese the, device is used in conduits 32 of larger dimeter, the cams I35 should bereplaced by longer ones. v

The plug carrying casing I21 01 the plugging and locking section 23, which is attached to the position and release the trip lever 5|. When I12 rigidly attached to the casing I25 and end head I33 in any suitable manner, this stem end .I12 being pierced by the longitudinally shiftable rod 12. The opposite end oi the stem .I1I may be extended centrally through the cup I13 and firmly attached to an end disk I13; The cup end of the locking casing I25. has a plug ring I III adjustably secured to the end thereof remote from the casing I25, by means of screw threads I52, and an expansible sealing ring I53 is confined in an annular groove I54 in the ring I5I.. A contractible bellows I55 disposed within 1 the casing I21 is normally completely filled with suitable liquid, and has one end secured to the end head I33 while its opposite end is provided with a closure I53 having a projection'I51 slid- Another bellows I58 which is elongatable by expansible fiuid underpressure which may be admitted thereto through a duct I53, is also confined centrally within. the casing I21 and has one end secured to the end head I32 while its opposite v end has a closure I58provided with a projection I5I adjustably attached to the projection- I51 by means of .a stud I52. The connection between the bellows I55, I58 is such that when liquid is permitted to escape from the bellows I55, the fluid under pressure confined within the bellows I51 will immediatelybecome eifective to expand the latter and will thus constantly contract the former and force liquid therefrom. The fixed end of the bellows I55 is provided with a liquid escape port I53 leading to an oscillatory valve I54 mounted. in the end head I33 and having therein a port I55. The valve I54 has an actuating stem I55 the swinging end of which coacts with a. notch I51 in the longitudinally movable sectional rod 12, and the valve port I55 is communicable with the port I53 and ring I53, when the rod 12 is shifted by release of the latch mechanism associated with the I13 may be snugly confined between a clamping ring I14 and another disk I15, and a buifer block I13 formed of wood orthe like may be clamped between the disks I13, I15. The specific construction of this plug is of relatively slight importance, and may be varied considerably, and the modified plug may obviouslybe positioned at a. definite place within a conduit 32 and locked therein, with the aid oi. the cams I when tripped by the counter 35.

' While the normal'use and operation of my improved measuring device should be apparent from the foregoing description, the same will again be generally and briefly described. When utilizing the device for merely the purpose of measuring lineal length or depth of a conduit 32, the plugging sections 23, 33 need not be used. and the subtraction counter 35 specificallyshown in the drawings may then be replaced by an ordinary addition counter of well-known construction. It is preferable during such use, to utilize both the indicating section 25 and the guide section 28, and as the travelling member advances along the interior of the conduit which is to be .measured, the rollers II1 will centralize and uide the member while the roller will actuate the counter 35, When the travelling member comprising the sections 25, 25 is active in measurin'g, the pawl 11 will engage the ratchet wheel 18 and will drive the counter wheels 31; but when the member is being withdrawn from the casing or conduit 32 the pawl 11 will .ride over the teeth with another port I 68 leading .to the sealing counter 35. The bellows I may either be filled with liquid before installation thereof, or it may be refilled'through a duct I53. Normally the liquid will be confined within this bellows I55 as shown in Fig. 15, but when the counter mechanism is trippedto shift the rod 12 longitudinally, liquid from the bellows I55 will be delivered into the elastic sealing ring. I53 and will expand this ring into sealing contact with the interior of the, conduit 32. The diameters of the rings I5I, I 53 will of course depend upon the internal diameter of the pipe or conduit 32 which is to be plugged, and after the sealing ring I53 and cams I35 have been properly positioned and locked in place, the sections 25, 23 of the assemblage may be withdrawn and concrete or other plugging material may be poured into the conduit above the seal ring I 53.

In place of a plugging section 23 such as shown in Figs. 15 to 19 inclusive, a relatively standard plugging section 30 such as shown in Figs. 20 and 21 may be utilized. This modified plugging attachment comprises a locking section which may be thesame as that shown in Figs. 15', 16 and 18, but the plug portion of which is attached to the end'of the locking section, consists of a flexible sealing cup I13 of any selected size adapted to contact the interior of the conduit 32 and secured to the end of the casing I25 adjacent to the end head I30 by means of a stem "I. The stem I1I is disposed coaxial with the casing I 25 and has one end or the ratchet wheel 13 and the counter reading will thus remainundisturbed.

When utilizing the improved apparatus to position a plug at a definite location within the conduit 32, it is preferable to utilize a special subtraction counter 35 such as herein described, and the travelling member will then preferably consist of three interconnected and alined sections 25, 28 and 23 or 33. The counter wheels31 should then be initially set to indicate the depth at which the plug is to be located, and the pawls 51 should be set to engage thelever 5| as in Fig. 2, whereupon the latch 54 will hold the sectional rod 12 in elevated position and this rod will maintain the hooks 3I and th locking cams I35 in the positions shown in Figs. 11, 15 and 20.

A plug, either of the type shown in Fig. 15 or of v the type shown in 20, may be utilized, but the action of the plug of Fig. 15 will be speciflcally' described. The travelling member may then be lowered within a conduit 32 by means of a rod or cable 21 as illustrated in Fig. 19, whereupon the-rollers II1 will guide and centralize the assemblage, while the roller 43 will constantly engage and roll along the conduit interior, and will operate the counter wheel 31. When all of these wheels 31 reach positions of zero setting, thetravelling member will have reached the desired predetermined depth, and the pawls 51 will releas the lever 5|, Release of this lever 5|, causes the bellows 53 toexpand and move the rod 12 longitudinally within the sections 25, 23, 23, thereby causing the bellows I to swing the cams I35 into locking position, and also causing the valve I54 to'release liquid under pressure from the. bellows I 55 into the sealing rings I53, as shown in Figs. 16 and 17.

The movement of the rod 12, also permits the bellows III to become effective in disengaging the hookah", thereby permitting the upper sections 25, 8 to be freely withdrawn from'within the conduit 32, while the plugging section 28 remains firmly locked at the exact predetermined location. The apparatus can with slight change and adjustment, be caused to eifectively cooperate with conduits 32 of variou diameters, disposed either vertical or otherwise, and when the sections 25, 28 are withdrawn from the conduit 32, the pawl TI and ratchet wheel 18 will again function hereinabove described, to prevent reverse rota on of the counter wheels 31.

From the foregoing detailed description it will be apparent that my present invention comprises a simple, compact and highly efllcient unit which may be utilized to either accurately measure the length of a conduit, or to find a definite location within a conduit. The lineal measuring wheel is rotated by direct contact with the inner wall of the conduit, and this feature is important since it permits most accurate measurement of the conduit length. The use of a subtracting counter forfinding a definite location within a conduit, by virtue of the fact that such counter may be initially set to the desired depth and trips when reaching zero setting, is also of importance since it permits extremely accurate positioning of plugs, cas g perforators, or the like. The trigger release mechanism, which is actuated by the counter when it reaches a predetermined location, is quick and positive in action, and the improved counter can be readily set to accurately predetermine any desired depth. While I have described the use of air or gas filled bellows for actuating the several mechanisms associated with the travelling member, these may be replaced by springs or other actuating means. The bellows, however, can be readily refilled with elastic fluid when necessary, and the seal expending bellows associated with the plug ring may also be readily filled with liquid. As previously indicated, any number of sets of guide rollers 40 may be utilized, and the arresting cams I35 are positive in their action and will positively stop th movement of the travelling unit immediately upon attaimnent of the predetermined depth. The unit is furthermore of extreme flexibility by virtue of the fact that the section 25 may be used either alone, or in conjunction with the section 28, or in conjunction with both a sect n 28 and a section 29, 30, Because of th fac that the sections 25, 28 maybe readily withdrawn after a plugging section has been located within a conduit 32, the indicating and guiding sections may be subsequently utilized. The improved measuring unit can be utilized either for the purpose of locating a plug at a definite point within a well, or for accurately placing a perforating gun, or for any other purposes, and by associating the counter directly with the travelling member, inaccuracies due to stretching of the cable or the like, are obviated. The entire assemblage is readily manipulable to perform the'various functions above indicated,

and is extremely accurate in obtaining the deshown and described, for various modifications sired results. While the improved device has been described herein as being especially applicable to oil wells, it can be used advantageously for other purposes; and it is-to be noted that the last section comprising the casing I21 and the sealing elements and mechanism associated therewith,"can be disconnected from the I casing I26 and used alone.

It should be understood that it is not desired to, limit theinvention to the exact details of construction or to the precise mode of use herein within the scope of the claims may occur to persons skilled in the art.

I claim:

1. A conduit measuring device comprising, a sectional member formed to be lowered down an approximately upright conduit, a counter carried by one section of said member, means constantly engaging the conduit wall to operate said counter, a plug for the conduit carried by another section of said member, and means operable by -said counter when said member reaches a predetermined depth for simultaneously positively stopping said plug section and releasing said counter section therefrom, whereby said counter may be removed while said plug remains at any exact predetermined location.

2. A conduit measuring device comprising, a sectional member formed to advance along a conduit, a subtraction counter carried by one section of said member, means constantly cooperable with the wall of said conduit for gradually reducing the indication afforded by said counter, a plug for the conduit carried by another section of said member, and means operable by said counter when zero indication is reached for almultaneously positively stopping the travel of said plug at any exact predetermined location and disconnecting said counter therefrom.

3. A conduit measuring device comprising, a

member movable, along the interior of a conduit, a subtraction counter carried by said member and having a plurality of independently resettable numeral wheels, means constantly cooperable with the interior of said conduit for reducing the count afforded by said wheels, a plug carried by said member, and means operable when all of said counter wheels reach zero position for simultaneously positively stopping the movement of said plug at any exact predetermined location and disconnecting said counter therefrom by separation of said member into sections.

4. ,A conduit measuring device comprising, a sectional member movable along a conduit, a counter carried by one section of said member, and means operable by said counter for automatically positively locating and disconnecting another section of said member from the counter carrying section at zero reading of the counter, whereby the counter carrying section is freely removable while the disconnected section remains at the exact predetermined location.

5. A conduit measuring device comprising, a sectional member movable along a conduit, a counter carried by one section of said member, means operable by said counter for automatically definitely positioning and disconnecting another section of said member from the counter carrying section at zero reading of the counter, and means for positively locking the disconnected section within the conduit at the exact predetermined position while permitting free withdrawal of the counter.

6. A conduit measuring device comprising, a member having separable indicating and plugging sections, a counter carried by said indicating section,'a seal and a lock carried by said plugging section, and means operable by said counter at zero reading for actuating said lockand for disconnecting said sections when said seal reaches a predetermined location within a conduit whereby said counter is freely removable while said plugging section remains within the conduit.

'7. A conduit'measuringdevice comprising, a

and for separating said sections when said member reaches a predetermined position within the conduit as definitely determined by counter indication. a

8. A conduit measuring device comprising, a separable section member, a counter carried by one section of saidmember, a seal carried by' another section of said member, and means operable by said counter when said seal reaches a predetermined location within the conduit for separating said member sections and for locking said seal within the conduit at said location as accurately determined by counter reading.

9. A conduit measuring device comprising, a separable section member,-a counter carried by one section of. said member, a seal carried by another section of said member, and means operable by said counter for positively positioning said seal in any selected precise location within the conduit and'for disconnecting said sections tion within the conduit as accurately determined by counter readings.

10. A conduit measuring device comprising, separable sections simultaneously movable along a conduit, a counter carried by one of said sections, means for releasably connecting said sections, and trip mechanism operable by, said counter for actuating said connecting meansto disconnect said sections precisely at zero reading of the counter.

1.1. A conduit measuring device comprising alined sections simultaneously movable along a conduit, a counter carried by one 01' said sections,

a fluid pressure expansible seal carried by an- ,other of said sections, means for admitting fluid under pressure to said seal, trip mechanism operable by said counter to actuate said fluid ad- 12. A conduit measuring device comprising, separable sections simultaneously movable along a conduit, a counter carried by one of said sections, locking cams carried by another of said sections, an expansible seal carried by said other section, resilient means for actuating said cams and for forcing fluid under pressure into said seal to expand the same at a predetermined reading'of the counter, and trip mechanism operable by said counter to release said resilient means and to thereby actuate said cams and expand saidseal precisely when said counter reading is reached.

13. A conduit measuring device comprising, a,

- plug in a definite position within the conduit as mission means and to lock said seal within the conduit precisely at a preselected reading of the counter, and means for simultaneously disconmeans is actuated.

v 30 when said member reaches a predetermined posiaccurately determined by' pre-setting of the counter and for simultaneously releasing said counter for removal from the conduit.

"14. A conduit measuring device comprising, a plug movable along a conduit, a subtraction counter movable along the conduit with said plug, and means operable by said counter for positively .locating said plug in a definite position within the conduit as accurately determined by zero-reading of the counter and for simultaneously releasing said counterfor removal from the conduit.

15. A conduit measuring device eomprising, a conduit sealing plug movable along an approximately upright conduit, a counter connected to and movable along the conduit with said plug, and means operable by said counter for positively locking said sealing plug in a predetermined position within the conduit as accurately determined by presetting 'of the counter and for simultaneously releasing said counter for tree removal from the conduit.

16. A conduit measuring device comprising, a sealing plug movable along an approximately upright conduit, a subtraction counter connected to and movable along the conduit with said plug, and means automatically operable by said counter when zero reading thereof is reached for positively locking said sealing plug exactly in a definite position within the conduit as accurately determined by pre-setting of the counter and for simultaneously detaching said counter from said plug for removal of the former from the conduit. 7

MARK M. HENNESSY. 

